Animals

The Prices for animals are listed both for renting and for purchasing them outright. You usually need to pay for animal rentals up front, and if the vendor believes the animal might be put in danger, they typically require a deposit equal to the purchase Price. Most animals panic in battle. When combat begins, they become frightened 4 and fleeing as long as they’re frightened. If you successfully Command your Animal using Nature (page 249), you can keep it from fleeing, though this doesn’t remove its frightened condition. If the animal is attacked or damaged, it returns to frightened 4 and fleeing, with the same exceptions.

Warhorses and warponies are combat trained. They don’t become frightened or fleeing during encounters in this way.

Statistics for the animals appear in the Pathfinder Bestiary.

Barding

You can purchase special armor for animals, called barding (shown on Table 6–18). All animals have a trained proficiency rank in light barding, and combat-trained animals are trained in heavy barding. Barding uses the same rules as armor except for the following. The Price and Bulk of barding depend on the animal’s size. Unlike for a suit of armor, barding’s Strength entry is listed as a modifier, not a score. Barding can’t be etched with magic runes, though special magical barding might be available.

Table 6–18: Barding

Barding	Price	AC Bonus	Dex Cap	Check Penalty	Speed Penalty	Bulk	Strength
Light barding
Small or Medium	10 gp	+1	+5	–1	–5 ft.	2	+3
Large	20 gp	+1	+5	–1	–5 ft.	4	+3
Heavy barding
Small or Medium (level 2)	25 gp	+3	+3	–3	–10 ft.	4	+5
Large (level 3)	50 gp	+3	+3	–3	–10 ft.	8	+5

Table 6–17: Animals

Animal	Rental Price* (per day)	Purchase Price
Dog
Guard dog	1 cp per day	2 sp
Riding dog	6 cp per day	4 gp
Horse
Riding horse	1 sp per day	8 gp
Warhorse	1 gp per day	30 gp (level 2)
Pack animal	2 cp per day	2 gp
Pony
Riding pony	8 cp per day	7 gp
Warpony	8 sp per day	24 gp (level 2)

* Might require a deposit equal to the purchase Price.